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How to Convert HEIC to JPG on Windows, Mac & Online (2026)

February 19, 20266 min read

Why Convert HEIC to JPG?

If you've taken photos on an iPhone and tried to open them on a Windows PC or share them with someone, you've probably run into the HEIC compatibility problem. HEIC is Apple's default photo format, but it's not widely supported outside the Apple ecosystem.

Converting to JPG solves this instantly — JPG is supported everywhere.

Method 1: Online Converter (Easiest)

The fastest way to convert HEIC to JPG is using a browser-based converter like PhotoFormatLab:

  • Visit PhotoFormatLab.com
  • Drag and drop your HEIC files (or click "Choose Files")
  • Select JPG as the output format
  • Adjust quality if needed (90% is recommended)
  • Click "Convert Files"
  • Download your converted JPG files

    • Why this method is best: Your files never leave your device. PhotoFormatLab processes everything in your browser, so there's no uploading, no waiting for server processing, and no privacy concerns.

    Method 2: Windows

    Using the Photos App

    Windows 10/11 can open HEIC files if you install the free HEIF Image Extensions from the Microsoft Store:

  • Open Microsoft Store
  • Search for "HEIF Image Extensions"
  • Install the free extension
  • Open your HEIC file with Photos
  • Click the three-dot menu → Save As → Choose JPEG

    • Using Paint

    Once the HEIF extension is installed:

  • Right-click the HEIC file → Open with → Paint
  • File → Save As → JPEG picture

    • Method 3: Mac

    Using Preview

    macOS natively supports HEIC:

  • Open the HEIC file in Preview
  • File → Export
  • Choose JPEG as the format
  • Adjust quality slider
  • Click Save

    • Using Automator (Batch)

    For converting multiple files:

  • Open Automator → New Document → Quick Action
  • Add "Change Type of Images" action
  • Set to JPEG
  • Save the workflow
  • Right-click files → Quick Actions → Your workflow

    • Method 4: iPhone

    Change Camera Settings

    Prevent HEIC going forward:

  • Settings → Camera → Formats
  • Select "Most Compatible"

    • Convert When Sharing

    iOS automatically converts to JPG when you:

  • Email photos
  • AirDrop to a Mac (with compatibility setting)
  • Share via many third-party apps

    • Using the Files App

  • Save HEIC photo to Files app
  • Long-press the image
  • Quick Actions → Convert Image
  • Choose JPEG

    • Quality Tips

    When converting HEIC to JPG, keep these tips in mind:

  • 90% quality is the sweet spot — visually identical to the original with reasonable file size
  • 100% quality creates unnecessarily large files with no visible improvement
  • 80% quality is fine for web/social media sharing
  • Below 70% — you may start seeing compression artifacts

    • Batch Converting Multiple Files

    If you have dozens or hundreds of HEIC files to convert, use PhotoFormatLab's batch converter. You can drag multiple files at once and download them all as a ZIP file.

    Try These Conversions

    HEIC → JPGHEIC → PNGHEIC → WEBP

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